Floor latch strip for railway cars



Nov. 18, 1969 J. s. LUNDVALL ETAL 3,478,700

FLOOR LATCH STRIP FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed Feb. 28, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet lfn z/enfors ejb/772 Q9, unaZZ/QIZZ Bz/SseZZ r Loo/rus @672743 ND. Breen)62W //Leewm/m 9# an M yS.

NOV 18, 1969 J. s. LUNDVALL ETAL 3,478,700

FLOOR LATCH STRIP FOR RAILWAY CARS 2 sheets-sheet a Filed Feb. 28. 19685 s Us w ai Jmvmnw/w C de M nu .w .E UE [/W-mw bw UA?? im da@ A@ ,www

United States Patent O 3,478,700 FLOOR LATCH STRIP FOR RAILWAY CARS JohnS. Lundvall, Park Ridge, Russell M. Loomis, Palos Heights, and Henry D.Breen, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Unarco Industries, Inc., acorporation of Illinois Continuation-impart of application Ser. No.599,296, Dec; 5, 1966. This application Feb. 28, 1968, Ser. No. 708,957

Int. Cl. B61d 17/10, 45/00 U.S. Cl. 10S-369 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This application is acontinuation-in-part of our copending application, Ser. No. 599,296, ledDec. 5, 1966, now patent No. 3,422,773, entitled Floor Latch Strip forRailway Cars.

This invention relates to a floor latch strip for railway cars, and moreparticularly to a sanitary floor latch strip which can easily becleaned.

'In railways cars equipped with lading separators it is customary tosecure the lading separators or door-like bulkheads in place by latchingpins extending from the upper and lower edges thereof and engagingopenings in latching strips or tracks in the car. Floor-mounted latchstrips tend to collect dirt and become unsanitary so that ordinary,apertured strips of conventional construction that have heretofore beenused cannot or should not properly be used in cars intended for use intransporting food of various types and similar materials.

It is accordingly one of the objects of the present invention to providea oor latch strip which can more easily be cleaned to maintain it insanitary condition.

Another object is to provide a oor latch strip that is so formed thatthe locking recesses thereof are more open at all times so that they canmore easily be cleaned.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will be morereadily apparent from the following description when read in connectionwith the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. l is a transverse perspective viewof a railway car embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view showing latch pins ofa lading separator engaged in one form of floor latch strip embodyingthis invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 ofFIG. 2 and showing certain typical environmental portions of the`construction of a freight-carrying vehicle;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view taken substantially on the line4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of another form of floor latchstrip embodying the invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 6 6 ofFIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary top plan view of still another form of oor latchstrip embodying the invention; and

"ice y FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional View taken substantially on the line8-8 of FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIG. 1, theimproved floor latch strip embodying the invention is to be incorporatedin a conventional freight-carrying vehicle, such as a railway car C thatincludes spaced sides 10, -a roof 11 and a structural floor serving assub-floor 12. The sub-floor 12 is typically covered by a load-supportingdeck 12a made up of planks 13 or the like that are secured to sub-floorin any desired manner well known in the art.

The railway car C is adapted to have mounted therein one or more uprightlading separators, which is a doorlike body or bulkhead for dividing theinterior of the car into compartments. Such lading separators maytypically be of the general type as shown in U.S. Patent No. 3,168,055.In FIGS. 2 and 3, the lading separator is indicated as 14.

In FIG. 1, the car C is equipped with means for suspending the separatorwithin the car and such means are shown as tracks 15 mounted on the saidside walls 10 adjacent the junctions of the side walls 10 and roof 11.The tracks Amay be formed in their horizontal lower flanges withlatching openings 16 adapted to receive therein latch pins carried bythe bulkhead 14. The bulkhead 14 carries thereon l-atching bars 14awhich may be selectively thrust outwardly or withdrawn, depending uponwhether the bulkhead 14 is to be latched in position in the car. Aportion of a typical latch bar 14a is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and hasthereon multiple latch teeth 14b for cooperation with a latching strip17 carried in a longitudinal recess 17a defined in the floor of the car.What has thus far been described, except for the details of latchingstrip 17, is well known in the art and forms no part of this inventionbut sets forth the environment for the invention hereinafter described.

The one for-m of floor latch-strip 17 shown in FIGS. 2-4 includes achannel-shaped body 20 having spaced upright legs 22 joined at theirlower ends by a bight or web means 24 and connected at their upper endsto outwardly extending flanges 26a and 26b. The width of thechannelshaped body 20 is such as to enter into a longitudinal recess 17adefined in the deck 12a. The upper edges of deck 12a -adjacent therecess 17a is recessed at 28a and 28b to respectively receive thereinthe flanges 26a and 2Gb, so that the upper surfaces of said ilanges aresubstantially flush with the upper surface of the deck 12a. The webmeans 24 of the body 20 is provided with longitudinally spaced apertures30 therein adapted for cooperation with a hold-down means hereinafterdescribed.

Extending longitudinally along the axis or center of the channel-shapedbody 20 is a dentated strip means 32 made up of elongated strip segments32 which may conveniently be forged to the general shape indicated andproviding thereon fiat side walls 32a and 32b. The bottom edge of eachstrip 32 is machined to achieve a good fit against the bight 24 of thechannel. Each dentated strip 32 denes alternate upstanding teeth 34 andspaces 36 with a tooth 34 at each end of each strip 32. Each tooth 34has a pair of spaced, parallel side surfaces 34a and 34b, and a topsurface 34e which is disposed substantially in the horizontal planethrough the upper end of body 20. Each space 36 is bounded at itslongitudinal ends by spaced surfaces 34a and 34b of adjacent teeth, andhas a bottom surface 36a.

The spacing of side 32a from its facing upright leg 22 defines a channel38 that is elongated and extends longitudinally of the body 20 and isopen-topped. A similar channel 39 is defined between the side 32b ofstrip 32 and its facing upright leg 22. As best seen in FIGS. 2

and 4, the adjacent ends of two strips 32 are spaced apart so as toprovide a space 40 that is of the same length as a space 36 defined onthe dentate strip 32.

Each aperture 30 may be located in vertical alignment with a space 40,and a bolt means 42 is provided tying down the longitudinal body on thesub-hoor 12. The bolt means may be of any type, such as a through boltas shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, or may be of an expansion bolt type for blindconnection as in FIGS. 2 and 3, wherein the sub-floor is provided with abottomed bore 42a, and a headed bolt 42h with tool-receiving sockettherein is used with an expandable means in bore 42a for securement tothe sub-oor 12. Expansion bolts of the type generally suggested hereinare well known in the art, and their details need no furtherdescription.

From the -construction thus far disclosed, it will be understood thatthe arrangement of parts provides in channel-body 20 two continuousopentopped longitudinal channels 38 and 39 through which cleaning of theelongated body 20 may be eifected either by sweeping through suchchannels, or by jet fluid means which would be directed into thechannels to eject waste from such channels. The arrangement of thedentated strips 32 within the body 20 also provides a series of spacedopen-topped transverse recesses 36 which are at least partially boundedby spaced abutments 34, and which have a width which bridges or spansthe space between the open-topped channels 38 and 39. These spaces 36are adapted to receive therein the teeth 14b of the latch bars 14a ascan best be seen in FIGS 2-4. Thus, the transverse recesses 36 arelaterally otset from the vertical planes of the opentopped channels 38and 39, but nevertheless, such spaces 36 communicate with an adjacentopen-topped channel so that waste that may become located in thetransverse recesses 36 may be preliminarily moved transversely into anopen-topped channel for subsequent removal from the channel. By locatingthe lower wall 36a of each transverse channel 36 above the lowermostwall 24 of an opentopped longitudinal channel, such as 38, the waste inthe transverse channels 36 is being caused to gravitate toward thelongitudinal channel 38, from whence a cleaning of the longitudinalchannel may be conveniently accomplished.

While in the form of device of FIGS. 24 the apertures for cooperationwith hold-down means 42 are shown located axially aligned between twodentate strips 32, it will be appreciated that for convenience of accessto the headed bolt 42b, it may be desirable to oiset the apertures 30 toa position in the vertical plane of one or the other, or both, of thelongitudinal channels 38 and 39. When apertures 30 are laterally offsetfrom strips 32, in order to balance the hold-down forces, bores 30length- Wise of body 20 may be provided alternately in the verticalplanes of the two channels 38 and 39. While the body 20 is shown to beintegrally formed, it will be appreciated that the shape of body 20 mayalso be formed `by two Z-shaped sections which may then be welded alongthe length of their lowermost legs together, or to the underside of thedentate strips 32. In providing a body 20 formed by two Z-shaped parts,one Z would include the ange 26a, its adjacent upright leg 22 andsubstantially one-half of what constitutes web means 24, while the otherZ-shaped part would include liange 26b, its associate upright leg 24 andthe remaining half of web means 24.

In a second form of construction as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, theHoor-latch strip, generally indicated at 50, is formed of sheet metaland provides a channel-shaped body 52 having spaced upright legs 54 thathave at their lower ends an interconnecting bight or web means 56, andwhich have inwardly directed flange means 58 at their upper ends. Theweb means 56 has apertures 60 therein spaced longitudinally of body 52for receiving therethrough the shank of a bolt-like, hold-down means 62.The inwardly turned ange means 58 at the upper ends of each leg 54delines therein alternate teeth 64 and spaces 66. Each tooth 64 has aportion lying in the horizontal plane at the uppermost end of body 52and has parallel edges 64a and 64b which serve as abutments forengagement with a tooth 14b of a latch bar 14a carried by a ladingseparator 14. The inturned terminus 64C of a tooth 64 is spaced fromanother tooth 64 to dene a centrally located, open-topped, longitudinalchannel 68 through which cleaning of the channel body 52 may beeffected. The edges 64a and 64b of teeth 64 cooperate with the innersurface of adjacent upright leg 54 to define the space 66 whichcommunicates with, but is laterally offset outwardly from the verticalplane of the opentopped channel 68, and which is arranged to receivetherein a portion of tooth 14b.

In the form of floor-latch strip shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, there is acombination of certain features found in each of the two earlierdescribed forms. The lading separator is again indicated at 14 andincludes a latch bar 14a having downwardly extending spaced latch teeth14b which vare best seen in cross-section in FIG. 7. The boxcars floor12 and decking 12a are illustrated in FIG. 8, and a longitudinal recess17a for the latch strip is shown. In FIGS. 7 and 8 the channel-shapedbody is generally indicated at 70 and is shaped to provide spacedupright legs 72 which are non-planar. The lower ends of upright legs 72connect to, or merge with, a bight or web means 74 that is shaped toinclude two downwardly and inwardly inclined, longitudinal, segments 74aand a lowermost central longitudinal segment 74b. The upper end of eachleg 72 has an outwardly extending flange 76. The central segment 74b ofweb means 74 is provided with longitudinally spaced apertures 78 forcooperation with the shank of a hold-down bolt means 80. The holddownbolt means 80 in this instance is shown of the through type with acooperating nut 80a and lock washer 80h as is well known in suchconstructions.

In this particular form of hoor-latch strip, the upright legs 72 of thechannel-shaped body are formed with a sinuate inner periphery which isbest seen in FIG. 7, and which is shaped to define alternateinwardly-extending teeth 82 and latch-tooth receiving spaces 84. Eachtooth 82 has spaced apart transverse edges 82a and 82h and an innermostedge 82C which is spaced from a corresponding tooth 82 on the oppositeleg 72 of the channel-shaped body, so that there is formed between saidinwardly extending teeth 82 a continuous, open-topped, longitudinalchannel 86 through which cleaning of the body 70 may be effected. Eachof the spaces 84 is an open-topped transverse recess that extendstransversely outwardly of channel 86 and that is at least partiallybounded by the abutment walls 82a and 82b on the teeth 82. Each recess84 is adapted to receive therein a portion of a tooth 14b of a latchingbar 14a. Although the transverse recesses 84 are laterally offset fromthe vertical plane of the open-topped channel 86, nevertheless they allcommunicate with the open-topped channel 86 so that any waste whichenters the transverse recesses 84 may preliminarily move laterally intothe open-topped channel 86 for subsequent removal. To facilitate suchpreliminary movement of waste, the inclined web segments 74a which areat least in part above web segment 74b and which bound the lower end ofeach transverse recess 84 operate to cause such waste to gravitatetoward the lowermost web section ,74b which bounds the lower end ofopentopped channel 86.

While there has been shown and described a particular embodiment of thisinvention, it Will be obvious to those skilled'in the art that variouschanges and modilications may be made therein Without departing from theinvention and, therefore, it is intended in the appended claims to coverall such changes and modications as fall Within the true spirit andscope of the invention.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. A door latch strip for use in a freight-carrying vehicle that isequipped with a lading separator carrying downwardly projecting latchelements, said oor latch strip comprising an -elongated body with anintegral bottom and spaced side walls above the bottom for conning wastein said body and having uppermost portions located in a substantiallyhorizontal plane, and means secured to said bottom and spaced betweensaid side Walls to define two spaced, continuous, open-topped,longitudinal channels for receiving and holding therein waste whichenters the body and only along which cleaning of the body is to beeffected, said means on said bottom comprising between said open-toppedchannels a series of longitudinally spaced, open-topped, transverserecesses at least partially bounded by spaced abutments extendingtransverse to the length of the open-topped channels and adapted toreceive therein the latch elements carried by a lading separator, saidtransverse recesses being located between the vertical planes of saidopen-topped longitudinal channels and communicating with both said opentopped channels, the transverse recesses including topped transverserecesses is in an elongated member having parallel longitudinal sidesand with one longitudinal edge thereof engaging the bottom of thechannel, said elongated member being spaced from both legs of thechannel and having the transverse recesses defined in the 'otherlongitudinal edge thereof.

4. A device as in claim 1 including spaced bolt means located only inthe region between the two spaced opentopped, longitudinal channels andextending downwardly through the bottom of the elongated body forattaching the elongated body to the oor of a freight-carrying 5. Adevice as in claim 1 wherein the elongated body is channel shaped, withthe side walls extending upa lower wall spaced above said bottom so thatwaste in said transverse recesses may be preliminarily moved into andheld in the open-topped channels for subsequent removal.

2. A device as in claim 1 wherein the elongated body has an outwardlyextending longitudinal flange at the uppermost portion of and integralwith each side wall and adapted to seat on the door of afreight-carrying vehicle.

3. A device as in claim 1 wherein the elongated body is channel shaped,with the legs of the channel providing the side walls extending upwardlyfrom the bottom of the channel and the means defining the spacedopenwardly from the bottom, an outwardly extending longitudinal flangeat the uppermost edge of at least vone of the side walls of the channel,said ange being adapted to seat on the floor of a freight-carryingvehicle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,122,950 7/1938 Reifer 105-3692,390,873 12/ 1945 Ditchfield 105-376 2,891,490 6/1959 Elsner 105-3693,205,834 9/1965 Terlecky 105-368 DRAYTON E. HOFFMAN, Primary ExaminerU.S. Cl. X.R. --376

